Mark Block, chief of staff for the Cain campaign, laid the blame for the leaks about the allegations about Cain squarely at the Perry campaign’s feet in an interview today.
“The actions of the Perry campaign are despicable,” Block told Fox News tonight. “Rick Perry and his campaign owe Herman Cain and his family an apology. Both the Rick Perry campaign and Politico did the wrong thing by reporting something that wasn’t true from anonymous sources. Like I said, they owe Herman Cain and his family an apology.”
Asked if he had any evidence, Block mentioned the fact that Cain had told Curt Anderson (who now works for Perry) about the accusations during his 2004 senate run. Cain accused Anderson earlier today; Anderson denied that he was responsible.
Block reiterated that Cain was innocent. “I asked Mr. Cain directly on numerous occasions whether [there was] anything to any of these allegations and he looked me square in the eye and said no,” Block said. “Mr. Cain has never committed any sexual harassment. Period. End of story.”
In response to the allegations from Iowa radio host Steve Deace that Cain made “inappropriate” remarks to two women working for Deace, Block said, “I would challenge anybody that has these statements to be made to come forward with the person making the statements. Face Mr. Cain.”
But when given a chance to call on the National Restaurant Association to waive the confidentiality agreements, Block refused to do so. “That’s totally up to the National Restaurant Association,” he said.
And we've learned that the Cain excels at wild conspiracy theories.
Basis for believeing harassment stories = prior official claims and settlements. They may just have been nuisance settlements, but at least there is some foundation to explore the claims.
Basis for blaming Perry here = Block and Cain are more paranoid than shirtless meth-heads.
Maybe it was Perry's camp who leaked this stuff, and maybe it was Romney's. But Mark Block and Herman Cain are the two men who hold responsibility for horrifyingly botching their response to these allegations.
So...Mr. Cain bases his evidence on the lack of evidence against him...and then his campaign accuses Perry's campaign without any evidence.
I don't think Cain sexually harrassed anyone. I just think he's a hypocrite, who has misrepresented himself throughout this primary.
First, like Romney, he tries to portray himself as an outsider, a businessman far removed from the muck of Washington. The fact is however, he is a Washington Power Player...a former bigshot at the Federal Reserve, and the head of one of the most powerful lobbying groups in America. He has twice run for office before this election, once for Senate, and once (albeit breifly), for President.
He is against abortion except for when he's for it. He'll negotiate with terrorists except for when he won't. He was against a National Sales Tax in 2005, now it's the centerpiece of his tax policy.
Herman Cain is Mitt Romney without the electoral success.
Either say something or don't say something, but please avoid the bad habit of juxtaposing facts to make an accusation or cast an aspersion without proof.
Maybe he did something, maybe he didn't. Say that. Don't say what you've just said:
"But when given a chance to call on the National Restaurant Association to waive the confidentiality agreements, Block refused to do so. 'That’s totally up to the National Restaurant Association,' he said."
You are implying guilt and fear. Say that if you think it. The decision not to call on NRA to waive the agreement could have any number of motives, of which guilty fear is one. Say that if you think it.
But stop imitating bad journalistic habits of Pravda and NPR. You are much better than that.
I don't think anything's being implied because I took it the opposite way, that Cain's campaign might be so over this because they know there's nothing to this. Kind of like - pfffft, we don't give a $#!%, go ask them.
Regardless, I hate this soap opera garbage. I don't know if I could vote for Cain in a primary but I do like the fact that this hasn't yet brought him down, and may in some ways be backfiring in the face of everyone expecting otherwise. I just get satisfaction when smug people who think they know what's best for everyone get knocked down a peg.
If Cain goes down, the upside is he will take Perry with him. I thought mush-mouths laughable performance in the debates would have ended his run, but he was still breathing. Now we can stick a fork in him for good. No one this dumb belongs in office.
If Cain's camp is going to accuse Perry's camp, they better have more details than the Politico story did. Otherwise, it comes across as a bit of hypocrisy regarding unfounded accusations. Not the swiftest political move.
I think we've just witnessed the democrats getting two birds with one stone. The allegations about Cain and accusing Perry of the leak smells like donkey.
I think it is Cain's campaign that owes Perry appology at this point. They do not have any proof that Perry's campaign is involved. Plus if they thought that Obama would not raise the issue and would not find out about that, they are simply stupid. Cain was the first to imply that Perry was racist because of some stupid word on some rock that Perry had nothing to do with.
I hope that these women are gold diggers and it is nothing to these complains, but blaming Perry will not help Cain.
This is the sort of thing that will mortally wound Perry from taking advantage of any movement of support away from Cain. I've never seen such an inept campaign or candidate in my life, Perry is an embarrassment. He was on life support before, but I can see what little support he has now abandoning him in droves. He'll be in Santorum territory soon.
It looks like Cain is taking Perry down with him, and Mitts the last man standing.
Wait, what? The Cain camp hurls a completely unsubstantiated charge against Perry in an effort to get the heat off him, and somehow Perry is supposed to come off looking bad?
I guess we've learned something in which the Perry campaign actually excels.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd if Perry doesn't get a debate question on this, things really will be going swimmingly.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePerry will be, unlike most questions he's been asked, prepared to answer that question.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd we've learned that the Cain excels at wild conspiracy theories.
Basis for believeing harassment stories = prior official claims and settlements. They may just have been nuisance settlements, but at least there is some foundation to explore the claims.
Basis for blaming Perry here = Block and Cain are more paranoid than shirtless meth-heads.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaybe it was Perry's camp who leaked this stuff, and maybe it was Romney's. But Mark Block and Herman Cain are the two men who hold responsibility for horrifyingly botching their response to these allegations.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is the Cain campaign trying go on the offensive by calling for Perry to apologize. But with all that is coming out, it's kind of stretch.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThere's only one way to settle this: FIGHT CLUB.
Thunder Dome would work, too.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo ends the Cain campaign. Blaming Perry for this is just juvenile.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAt this point, Perry is like a monkey flinging poo.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo...Mr. Cain bases his evidence on the lack of evidence against him...and then his campaign accuses Perry's campaign without any evidence.
I don't think Cain sexually harrassed anyone. I just think he's a hypocrite, who has misrepresented himself throughout this primary.
First, like Romney, he tries to portray himself as an outsider, a businessman far removed from the muck of Washington. The fact is however, he is a Washington Power Player...a former bigshot at the Federal Reserve, and the head of one of the most powerful lobbying groups in America. He has twice run for office before this election, once for Senate, and once (albeit breifly), for President.
He is against abortion except for when he's for it. He'll negotiate with terrorists except for when he won't. He was against a National Sales Tax in 2005, now it's the centerpiece of his tax policy.
Herman Cain is Mitt Romney without the electoral success.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseKatrina,
Either say something or don't say something, but please avoid the bad habit of juxtaposing facts to make an accusation or cast an aspersion without proof.
Maybe he did something, maybe he didn't. Say that. Don't say what you've just said:
"But when given a chance to call on the National Restaurant Association to waive the confidentiality agreements, Block refused to do so. 'That’s totally up to the National Restaurant Association,' he said."
You are implying guilt and fear. Say that if you think it. The decision not to call on NRA to waive the agreement could have any number of motives, of which guilty fear is one. Say that if you think it.
But stop imitating bad journalistic habits of Pravda and NPR. You are much better than that.
Keep up the good work.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't think anything's being implied because I took it the opposite way, that Cain's campaign might be so over this because they know there's nothing to this. Kind of like - pfffft, we don't give a $#!%, go ask them.
Regardless, I hate this soap opera garbage. I don't know if I could vote for Cain in a primary but I do like the fact that this hasn't yet brought him down, and may in some ways be backfiring in the face of everyone expecting otherwise. I just get satisfaction when smug people who think they know what's best for everyone get knocked down a peg.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf Cain goes down, the upside is he will take Perry with him. I thought mush-mouths laughable performance in the debates would have ended his run, but he was still breathing. Now we can stick a fork in him for good. No one this dumb belongs in office.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusehuh?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf Cain's camp is going to accuse Perry's camp, they better have more details than the Politico story did. Otherwise, it comes across as a bit of hypocrisy regarding unfounded accusations. Not the swiftest political move.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think we've just witnessed the democrats getting two birds with one stone. The allegations about Cain and accusing Perry of the leak smells like donkey.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAt this point both Mr. Cain and Mr. Perry have disqualified themselves from the Presidency.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think it is Cain's campaign that owes Perry appology at this point. They do not have any proof that Perry's campaign is involved. Plus if they thought that Obama would not raise the issue and would not find out about that, they are simply stupid. Cain was the first to imply that Perry was racist because of some stupid word on some rock that Perry had nothing to do with.
I hope that these women are gold diggers and it is nothing to these complains, but blaming Perry will not help Cain.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is the sort of thing that will mortally wound Perry from taking advantage of any movement of support away from Cain. I've never seen such an inept campaign or candidate in my life, Perry is an embarrassment. He was on life support before, but I can see what little support he has now abandoning him in droves. He'll be in Santorum territory soon.
It looks like Cain is taking Perry down with him, and Mitts the last man standing.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWait, what? The Cain camp hurls a completely unsubstantiated charge against Perry in an effort to get the heat off him, and somehow Perry is supposed to come off looking bad?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse